Often when we meet with students about their job and internship searches, we find that they haven’t looked very far beyond the big job sites like Handshake, LinkedIn, and Indeed. But if you are seeking employment in a specialized field, it’s usually beneficial to go directly to each individual employer’s website. That is especially true with government jobs, as there are frequently dozens of open jobs at local, county, and state levels which are not always posted elsewhere. The Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife is a great example.
State agencies offer internships all across Washington, often involving field work. They also have a structured system that makes clear what levels of education and experience are required for each tier of employment. Familiarizing yourself with their system now could be very beneficial down the road if you hope to find yourself working as a Fish Hatcheries Specialist 3 or a Fish & Wildlife Biologist 4 someday.
Summer internship application season is coming soon, so now would be a good time to follow WSDFW on LinkedIn so you get their announcements in your feed, read up on various job descriptions and the process to apply, and create your profile on careers.wa.gov.
Keep in mind that natural scientists are employed in a variety of state agencies, from the Department of Transportation to Department of Agriculture to the Department of Natural Resources. We’ll feature more state agency career spotlights in future blog posts!
